


Severus' Secret Sweet

by stellanti_nocte



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2013-10-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 04:50:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1014294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellanti_nocte/pseuds/stellanti_nocte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus' new classroom gives him a perfect view of the Herbology greenhouses, particularly the strawberry plant growing outside. He plans to sneak a bite of the succulent fruit, but gets caught by a certain clumsy Gryffindor...Neville/Severus</p>
            </blockquote>





	Severus' Secret Sweet

It was rare for the Potions Master to take a walk outside, but nonetheless, here he was. Severus didn’t really know what had possessed him to do something this inane—the weather wasn’t even nice today—but he blamed it on the view from his classroom. 

This year he had been switched to teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts while Horace Slughorn had taken his place as Potions’ Professor and he had suddenly found himself with a classroom full of windows that he had no idea what to do with. Usually, he simply closed the shutters and ignored them, but it had been too dark for the lesson today and he had been forced to open them. He had been greeted with a clear view of the Herbology greenhouses and all of the odd plants that grew within them. 

However, as he had looked closer, he had noted that there was a small patch of strawberries planted next to one of the greenhouses’ doors, just begging to be eaten. Severus loved strawberries, as loath as he was to admit it. If anyone discovered his odd penchant for the sweet red fruit his reputation of being a cold snarky man would be ruined. 

Thus, the cunning Potions Master had devised a plan to sneak out during lunch and pick a few of them. He bent down, carefully plucked one ripe strawberry from the plant and bit into the succulent fruit. An explosion of sweetness filled his mouth and Severus was momentarily distracted, enough that the sound of footsteps behind him went unnoticed. 

“U-um…Professor?” 

Severus whirled around, robes billowing with the movement and the half-eaten strawberry still in hand. There, in all his awkward, clumsy glory was Neville Longbottom, stuttering out some sort of apology. 

Drat. Of all people to have been caught by…though, Severus supposed that this was better than Potter finding him. 

“Do you like them?”

Severus snapped out of his thoughts at the question, examining the sixteen-year-old before him. Longbottom was looking at him with a hidden hope in his eyes, and while he confidently made eye contact, his feet were shuffling on the ground and a blush was blossoming on his cheeks. 

“It’s my first time growing a muggle plant, so I’m not sure if they taste right. I was just coming out to try them, actually…” he babbled, clearly nervous from Severus’ continuous staring. 

…just as sweet as the strawberries he grows…

Perhaps the boy wasn’t as irritating as he’d once thought. 

Severus stunned Neville with a rare, genuine smile.

“Yes, they are quite sweet.” 

Neville’s answering smile was even sweeter.


End file.
